St. Louis Blues: Why the Fans Should Be Proud of Their Season - Bleacher Report

The St. Louis Blues left the Staples Center battered and broken. The team that had the best defense in the league was outscored 15-6 in a four-game series, and was swept by the Los Angeles Kings. However, this should not be viewed negatively, because it was anything but. 

The Blues made it to the playoffs for the first time since 2009, won their first playoff game since 2004, and won their first postseason series since 2002. All of this from a team that was supposed to be a seventh seed coming into the season.

All of the hard work came from the coaching change. Ken Hitchcock took a team that had no real sense of identity, except for their youth. He took the players and molded them into a team. Every player bought into his defense-first game plan, and it worked.

David Backes became one of the most underrated captains in the league, leading by example and doing whatever it took to help the team win. David Perron came back from injury and became one of the pure goal scorers that the Blues needed. T.J. Oshie matured under Hitchcock and now is a great assistant to Backes. Alex Pietrangelo is quietly becoming one of the best defensemen in the league, and he is only 22. Kevin Shatterkirk has become a blue-line stud and had the Blues winning their trade with the Avalanche last year.

But perhaps the best outcome of the entire season is that Blues fans finally get what they have been needing for the last 10-plus years. Solid goaltending.

Jaroslav Halak started off the season terribly, and it looked like the Blues were going to have a long season ahead of them.

Cue backup stud Brian Elliot. Elliot took the NHL by storm this year, grabbing a hold of the top of the goalie world and never letting go.

Halak picked up his game when Hitchcock came around, and the two became the best tandem in the NHL. The two goalies combined for a 1.89 GAA, good enough to secure the William M. Jennings Trophy. The last time the Blues won the Jennings was in the 1999-2000 season, when they also won the Presidents Trophy.

The Blues were only two points out form winning the Presidents' Trophy this season, and Blues fans should be happy that they did not win the trophy.

As stated earlier, the team did win it in 1999-2000, but lost to the No. 8 seed Sharks in seven games. It is a hollow trophy, and by not winning it, the Blues had their sights on a better trophy. Unfortunately, they failed. 

However, there will still be a banner hanging up in Scottrade this next season. The Blues, for only the second time in team history, won the Central Division. The Blues battled against playoff teams throughout the season and came out on top. 

So why should fans not be upset with this Blues team?

They had success in a season in which they were supposed to scrape into the playoffs. But most importantly, they saw a fanbase increase dramatically.

In my 19 years of living, I have never seen the city of St. Louis be so interested in hockey. The team gave fans hope, and now they are beginning to believe.

Hopefully next year the team will raise the Cup, but I'm perfectly happy with a playoff win.

There's always next year.